Centenary of ANZAC

Captain James Cowey with his wife Annie on their wedding day

While the main focus of the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway is on the sacrifices made by Australian servicemen and women during World War II, it must also be recognised that those who enlisted were inspired and influenced by the reputation and courage displayed by the original ANZACs.

Many of these young recruits, some still in their teens, had fathers and uncles who had served at Gallipoli, the Western Front, or with the Australian Light Horse in the Middle East.

And there were some, such as Jim Cowey MC, who served in both World Wars. Jim was active at Gallipoli with the 14th Infantry Battalion 1st AIF, and fought in the later battles on the Western Front.

With the outbreak of the Second World War, Jim Cowey joined the 39th Militia Battalion and saw active service in New Guinea.

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A living memorial

The Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway is a living memorial and a principal site of commemoration honouring all those who fought for Australia during World War II.

A principal focus is on the sacrifices made during key Papua New Guinea battles which took place in 1942-43 along the Kokoda Track, at Milne Bay on the south-eastern tip of Papua, and at Buna, Gona, and Sanananda on the northern coastline.

The Walkway covers more than 800 metres from Rhodes Station to Concord Hospital in Sydney’s inner-west, and runs along the mangrove-studded shores of Brays Bay on the Parramatta River.

At the centrepiece are magnificent granite walls bearing photographic images of the Kokoda campaign. There are 22 audio-visual stations along the Walkway, each describing a significant place or military engagement. The Walkway has been planted with lush tropical vegetation simulating the conditions of The Kokoda Track.